Who Are You
by DreamBig808
Summary: Gone. Everything gone. As he looked at Artemis, sitting before him in the hospital bed, the very words coming from her mouth shattered his already worn out heart. "Who are you?"
1. Chapter 1

**My very first Spitfire fic. Inspired by meowsasscat's Spitfire gif _Who Are You?_ I swear. I got so many feels from that gif. I'm not sure what sort of feels you were supposed to feel, but angsty feels overwhelmed me and so I wrote this fiction to console my feelings during this hiatus. Not like the angst will do anything to help that though ; _ ; Bear with me ok? I tried.**

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Who Are You?

_Gone_. Everything _gone._ As he looked at Artemis, sitting before him in the hospital bed, the very words coming from her mouth shattered his already worn out heart. "_Who are you?"_

Artemis looked around the room warily, unsure of her surroundings, then turned her attention back to Wally and asked him once more. "Who are you, and where am I?" she asked more sternly. Wally sat there beside her bed, staring down at his hands cupped around hers. She slipped her hand out of his and asked him the same question. Wally slowly looked up to see her face, only to be pained when he locked gazes with hers. He used to stare into her eyes, and get so lost in them. He loved it how whenever she smiled he could also visibly see the smile in her eyes, with just a glint of mischief, and a tenderness only he knew. But now, what once was there was replaced with fear and confusion. Wally felt a hand on his shoulder. He glanced back to see Dick standing behind him, his expression solemn. "Wally, I need to speak with you." Dick looked over to Artemis, who gave him a defensive glare in return, before leaving the room. As soon as he left, Black Canary came in and stood by the door. "Wally…"

Wally still hadn't moved from his seat next to Artemis's bed. He reluctantly rose from his seat very slowly, and walked to the door where Black Canary was waiting to usher him out. "Don't worry, Wally. I'll be here with Artemis." She reassured him. Wally looked at her grimly, and then walked out of the room. When he walked out, he saw Dick leaning against the opposite wall. He didn't say anything, only leaned off it and shifted his feet. He wasn't in his Nightwing uniform. He came as himself; he came as Dick Grayson.

"Follow me." Dick finally said, and walked down the hall away from Artemis's room. Wally emitted a slow and tired sigh, before he turned around to close the door. When he grabbed the doorknob, and started to close it, he glanced up to look at Artemis. Black Canary was sitting beside her, talking to her, asking her questions. Artemis hadn't looked so fragile before. But what caught Wally's attention and made him cringe every time he looked, was the white bandages wrapped around her head, and some more bandages that wrapped around her arms and peeked out under her hospital garment sleeves, where he was sure there was more.

Wally followed Dick into the hospital courtyard. He had just exited the building when he saw Dick stop in the middle of the courtyard, his back faced towards him. He walked forward, stopping just a few feet behind Dick, and rested his hands in his pockets. He let out a sad, quiet chuckle. "She says she doesn't know me." Dick didn't say anything. "Says she doesn't know you either. Not even the rest of the Team." Still no response. Wally looked sullenly to the ground, his brow furrowed. "…What the hell happened, Dick?"

Dick looked over his shoulder hesitantly, then hung his head and heaved out a heavy sigh before turning his body to face Wally. "Wally. Artemis… she… she's lost her memory."

Wally's hands balled into fists. "You think I don't know that?!" he lashed out. He was outside and he finally had room to shout. He started pacing back and forth feverishly, his hand running through his hair in frustration. All of his emotions he had bottled up in the room at that moment surged through him, and he couldn't control them. "I meant what the hell happened out there? Tell me. _Now_." Wally wanted answers, and he wanted them now. He hadn't once agreed with the plan from the very beginning. No matter how much he wanted to believe that Dick's plan was bullet proof, he's had this feeling he wanted to push away, a stomach dropping feeling that something would go wrong; but, it was Artemis's choice and he chose to respect her and her decision. But now that his worst fear has become reality, he wanted answers. He wanted to know what could have caused Artemis to forget. To forget who she was to him, to forget everyone, to forget all of their memories together as a team, to forget _their_ memories together… to forget _him_. Wally looked up from the ground and glared at Dick. "Dick—"

"I don't know!" Dick yelled at Wally. Pain was evident in his voice. He didn't want what happened to Artemis to be real either. Dick closed his eyes and took off his sunglasses to pinch the bridge of his nose. He looked at Wally, and emitted a stressed sigh. He put his sunglasses back on and tried to explain in a calmer manner. "I don't know… she—"

"What do you mean _you_ don't _know_?" Wally asked, his voice growing more sinister. "You of all people should know. How could you let this happen to Artemis? How could you let something like this happen after what happened to Kal? I told you. I told you we should have gotten her –the both of them– _out_ after that incident. Now we have both of your undercover subordinates incapacitated. One who's in a catatonic state and is still within the enemy's grasp, and the other, Artemis, who's lost her memory and in a hospital bed. So tell me, what do you mean, _you don't know?_"

Dick didn't say anything; he only dropped his hands to his sides and his eyes drooped, discouraged to say anything more.

"Never mind. Forget I said anything." Wally waved his hand and turned away, frustrated with his lack of answers. He had to admit to himself, though, that he was relieved Dick didn't tell him. He was sure he wouldn't have handled listening too well. He walked forward toward the building, and stopped to glance back, only to see that Dick had already left. "_I'm sorry_…" he thought he heard Dick say.

Wally returned to Artemis's hospital room, only to stand outside her door. He wanted to believe, so badly wanted to believe, that everything inside was back to normal and as it should be; Artemis remembering who he is. He was afraid of walking in there again. He was afraid that by walking inside that room, he would trigger her to forget and ask him that same painful question again. All he wanted was the bad nightmare to go away. He stood there, staring at the floor for fifteen minutes before Black Canary opened the door.

"Oh, Wally, you're back. Artemis is resting." Black Canary informed him, stepping aside so he could see inside the room. "I've managed to help her recover her memory of who she is and who her family is. She remembers that she was a part of a team, but those bits and pieces are still blurry."

Wally sighed in relief upon hearing the news. He briskly walked past her and into the room. He immediately went to Artemis's side, and looked gently down upon her. He was glad to hear that Artemis had recovered her identity and that she vaguely remembers being on the Team, but when Canary failed to mention anything about her recovering any memory of him, he could only grin sadly. "What about me?"

Black Canary looked at him, trying to find the right words to say to him.

"She… hasn't said anything about you yet. Her encounter with you when she woke up surprised her. She's a bit wary of you now." Wally felt his shoulders sink and his chest tighten.

"The process will be slow, but I'm sure her memory will come back with due time." Black Canary reassured him. "But, for now, you should head back home for the night, Wally." Wally glanced back at Black Canary. "I know you want to stay here by Artemis's side, Wally, but she's just lost her memory. She's already wary of you, and if she has any bad impression of you that could change her relationship with you completely. She may end up resenting you."

Wally turned his attention back to Artemis and gently brushed stray strands of her hair away from her face, his hand still lingering on her cheek. "Resenting me… huh?"

Wally had always wondered what her impression of him was when they first met; the impression of him before he opened his mouth. He remembered asking her. Artemis had told him she only cracked a joke at him because she was insecure; the reason of her insecurity being because a cute boy entered. Wally could only grin when he thought about it. He had teased her saying, "_You thought I was cute? Just cute? Nothing else? You sure handsome didn't pop into your head after? Or masculine?_" This only earned him a punch to the arm, and a hearty laugh from Artemis only he'd be able to bring out of her. But, that impression then compared to now, is different. The mere thought of Artemis resenting him pecked at his heart. He wouldn't be able to withstand her rejection.

"You can come back tomorrow, Wally." Black Canary said, as she walked toward the door. Wally nodded in understanding, but still never left Artemis's side. "Wally?" Canary queried, once she was at the door.

"I'll be just a minute." Wally called back.

Black Canary looked at Wally, concern outlining her face. "Okay, Wally. Goodnight." She said, and left the room.

"Night." He called back, even though Black Canary was gone.

It was just him and Artemis now. It hasn't been like this, with just the two of them, since the time she left to join Nightwing's undercover mission. Except the only thing is, is that they would be at home lounging around on their couch, having their movie night Friday; not in the hospital. He pulled a chair over and took a seat beside her. He hunched over and leaned his elbows on his thighs, putting his face in his hands. He then leaned back into his chair and dragged his hands down his face tiredly. He opened his eyes and glanced at Artemis. Seeing her sleeping soundly before him right now is what made his tense shoulders relax and put his mind at ease for the moment, despite what had happened today. He was beyond grateful and glad to have her back. He was relieved to have her within grasp and not in harm's way. To finally be able to touch her, hug her, kiss her –if only he could do all these things– because she was here right in front of him. Tangible. Not fleeting as she was in his dreams. She was safe, and that was what was important. But, why wasn't he happy? He should be right now, but he just wasn't.

Wally leaned forward and reached for Artemis's hand, gently cupping it in his own. He caressed her hand, grazing his thumb slowly over her knuckles. He continued to look at her tenderly as he slowly brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it. He sat there for a while more just gazing at Artemis, when he finally stood quietly from where he was seated and leaned over Artemis, bringing his face close to hers. Her hand still in his, he brought his lips to her forehead and gently kissed her, murmuring, "I love you."

Wally then released Artemis's hand regrettably, gently placing it back down over her other hand, on her stomach. He walked toward the door and glanced back. "Sweet dreams, Arty. Dream of me, would you?" he grinned sadly. As he slowly closed the door, his eyes were only fixated on Artemis.

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**What... What did I just write? ._. Well I just made myself sad now. **


	2. Chapter 2

**I know I was very vague with what happened to Artemis, but you can tell she's in a pretty serious condition. I tried to steer away from explanation and leave it to your imagination as to what might have happened. Plus I just couldn't handle writing what might've happened to Artemis ; _ ; I didn't want to venture into it. If I did, my heart would fall to a million pieces just like Wally's. If you got any headcannons though, please do share in your reviews :)**

**So here is some more angst, unfortunately :c , but I promise you there will be fluff...just later on c:**

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When Wally returned to _their_ house in Palo Alto, he was greeted by _their_ howling pit bull, Brucely. "Hey there boy." Wally said, patting the dog's head. He walked in and closed the door behind him. Brucely whined and went toward the door, tail wagging in the air, expecting Artemis to come in after him. "Sorry, boy. Mommy isn't coming home. Not today." Wally took a step forward into _their_ living room and looked up. On a wide and long yellow banner, he read "_Welcome home, Artemis!"_

Wally had made a banner for Artemis's supposed return from the undercover mission. He only sighed in disappointment, though, at the lack of her presence. Everything that was here was theirs. And everything that was theirs reminded Wally of Artemis. He would have to wait yet again for her to return to him. Wally took off his jacket and threw it onto the couch. Then he plopped himself down onto the couch, picked up the television remote off of the coffee table, and clicked the TV on. He spent a half hour skipping through channels before he decided to turn off the TV and go into the kitchen. When he opened the refrigerator, though, he only stared emptily into it, letting the cool air rush over his cheeks. He frowned, and closed the door.

After he changed into a white tee and his boxer shorts, he went into the bathroom to brush his teeth. As he did so, he stared at his reflection in the mirror. It wasn't until then that he noticed how tired his eyes looked and started feeling emotionally exhausted. He also noticed he was brushing his teeth slower than usual; he would have been done within three seconds. After he spat out the contents of his mouth into the sink and placed his toothbrush back in its holder, he couldn't help but notice the green toothbrush next to his yellow one. Feelings tugged at his heart and he quickly walked out of the bathroom to prevent any more torment. He strode into their bedroom and ran his fingers through his hair and paced, trying to calm himself down. He missed her. He missed her _so _much.

When he received a phone call from Nightwing that Artemis was coming home, he didn't know how to react. He was too happy for words. On the day of her return, he got another call, except it was from the hospital. He didn't know why, and he didn't want to know. When he got there, he didn't know why he was there; he didn't know what –_who_– he was there for. The reason never dawned on him until he saw Nightwing and Black Canary standing in the lobby waiting for him. Wally knew then what this was––who this was all about. When he was right in front of the room, he didn't want to believe it was her inside. When she pushed him away when he hugged her, he didn't know how to react. All of his feelings were jumbled up. There was hurt, anxiety, grief and despair, all mixed together. But, for all Wally knew, he missed Artemis. He missed her _so _much.

Wally had stopped pacing back and forth, and stood motionless in their bedroom, staring at the floor. It wasn't until Brucely came into the room and nudged his leg that Wally came out of his daze.

"Oh…Hey there, boy. We should go to sleep now, shouldn't we." Wally said as a statement, rather than a question. He then walked over to his side of the bed and sat down. Brucely followed and sat in front of Wally's feet, waiting patiently for permission to sleep on the bed. Wally grinned and patted the spot beside him, and Brucely hopped up onto the bed, settling himself on Artemis's side of the bed. Wally did the same and swung his legs into bed and tucked himself in, making himself comfortable. He didn't go to sleep though; he only stared up at the ceiling, contemplating while he twiddled his thumbs. He turned over on his side and stared at the nightstand next to him. He reached out and opened one of its drawers, exploring the inside as he searched for what he wanted. When he found it, he pulled it out and turned onto his back again, holding the small velvet red box in front of him. He was determined from that point on to regain Artemis's memory and bring her back to him.

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**Their dog's name is Brucely... Did you know that? I did not know that. But I do know that this chapter is a lot shorter. I'm sorry :c I'm pretty bad with updates, so the chapters will be short so I can get new chapters up and keep you guys happy :)**

**EDIT: I lied T_T While being bad with updating is true, the chapters won't be short. ****NOPE. Nope. They won't be. **  



	3. Chapter 3

Wally walked up to Artemis's room with a bouquet of flowers in hand and a stomach full of butterflies. He wanted to do this impression right this time. No tripping, no bickering. He was going to do this right. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before turning the doorknob and opened the door. Artemis was sitting upright in bed, with a few "Get Better!" balloons tied to the railing of her hospital bed. Wally smiled, and walked forward into the room, only to trip over something big, white, and fluffy.

"Wolf!" Wally groaned, as he sat up and rubbed his head, realizing what he just tripped over. _Wait…Wolf?_

Wally's eyes flew open, only to see Conner towering over him. He offered his hand and Wally obliged. "Thanks," Wally said hesitantly as he stood. Wally took a moment to scan the room. Wolf was still sleeping soundly as if nothing happened. Conner was standing in front of him and M'gann was here too. She was seated near the window, by Artemis. And as his eyes rested on Artemis, he noticed she was looking at him, obviously amused with his entrance. Even if it was still Artemis, embarrassment was written all over his face. _Well, there goes to "no tripping"... _Wally thought. He turned his attention back to the Kryptonian and Martian again. The only reason Conner and M'gann would be here right now, visiting an Artemis they thought was dead, would be that Nightwing finally told them the truth.

"We need to talk." Conner whispered sternly to Wally as he passed by him and walked out of the room. Wally furrowed his brows, and a frown tugged at the corners of his mouth, but he quickly turned it upside down. He picked up the bouquet of flowers off the ground and walked toward Artemis.

"Hi there. You may remember me from yesterday," Artemis glared at him. "Okay... so you do remember..." Wally rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm here again to apologize for startling you, and so I bought these…for you." He grinned, and handed the bouquet to her. Her glare softened, but she didn't take them, only shifted her gaze between the flowers and Wally skeptically.

"Um, I'll take them for her, Wally. You should go talk with Conner now." M'gann said, and took the flowers from him. Wally looked at M'gann. It's been awhile since he'd last seen her. The last time was before the undercover mission, when he dropped off Artemis at the mall so she and M'gann could go shopping for Raquel's wedding shower gift. She didn't look anything like how she did back then. Her face was now outlined with sorrow and regret, and her eyebrows were stitched together with anxiety. And her eyes looked so tired he assumed she hadn't been sleeping well. She looked so worn out, both emotionally and physically. She didn't hurt Artemis. But he figured after everything that had happened, she was blaming herself for what happened to Artemis, especially after what happened to Kaldur.

"What happened wasn't your fault." Wally said, trying to convince her and alleviate her thoughts. "Don't beat yourself up about it, M'gann." M'gann looked up at him surprised. Her brow relaxed, but her eyes revealed she was still remorseful. She then offered a small smile. "Oh. Thanks, Wally."

Wally returned a slight nod and a small reassuring smile to both her and Artemis, and then turned to go talk to Conner in the hall. Once he closed the door behind him, Conner started hounding him.

"Why didn't you and Nightwing tell M'gann and me at the start of it all?"

"I'm guessing he finally told you," Wally said, as he walked past Conner. "What did he tell you?"

"Everything." Conner responded, and pivoted on his heel. "But the thing I don't understand the most is why you didn't tell us. I think we deserved the right to know from the moment of the plan's conception. It would have been a lot better if you had told us."

Wally heaved out a sigh and hung his head. "Look, Supes," he said, as he turned to face him. "We thought it best not to tell you two. The choices, the consequences, the burden... and the responsibility of carrying all that. We didn't want you guys to bear all that. We thought it would be bett–"

"You thought _what_ would be better? The situation _now_ would be _better?_" Conner quickly said.

Wally winced. "No..."

Conner realized the words he just said, and then looked away. "Sorry... I didn't mean that." He looked to the ground and frowned. "What I meant to say... What I was trying to say..." He then heaved out an exasperated sigh and finally said, "Look... The six of us... we're a _team._ We stick _together_. We _share_ the burden. Share the choices, no matter the consequences. Because that's what teammates _do_. That's what friends do. It's as simple as that."

Wally stood wide eyed in the hallway, quietly contemplating on what Conner had just said to him. After a beat, Conner sighed. "Things... are definitely not how they used to be... but, no matter what, we'll still be a team. We'll still be friends." With that, he walked back into Artemis's room again.

Wally followed after a moment and stood by the door, Conner's words still lingering in his ear. He was right. The six of them did start off as a team. Inexperienced as a group, they each had one thing on their mind. Only focusing on the mission, showing off each of their skills, and how they can handle on their own, and standing independently just to prove their place on the team. They didn't know how to be on a team; they didn't know what it meant to be on a team. As time progressed, though, they grew closer and got to know one another, on duty and off of duty. They slowly became friends. Together, as old friends and new friends they became one. There may have been disagreements and a lack of faith in one another, but, after everything though, they came out more than just teammates and as friends. They came out as a family.

Wally thought for a moment, that maybe they were wrong to keep the mission a secret from them. But, what's done is done. There is nothing they can do to change the past, but what they can do is to focus on what's ahead of them now and move forward together in step. With no more secrecy between them, as a reunited team they'll need to overcome the conflict at hand, alongside their own internal conflict, and with one another to be able to bring back their trapped friend safely.

As Wally looked up, he saw Conner had just reached M'gann and touched her shoulder, telling her something, and M'gann sighed. She then stood and smiled at Artemis and bent down to give her a hug. Artemis returned the hug, a bit shocked by the sudden embrace, but returned it nonetheless. M'gann walked around Artemis's bed and toward the door. When she reached Wally, she thanked him again. "Make sure you take good care of Artemis, okay?"

When Conner came back to the door, he touched Wally's shoulder and gave a few kind and reassuring words. "She'll remember you soon. You _did _trip after all."

Wally rolled his eyes and laughed slightly, "Thanks, Conner."  
Conner grinned, then called Wolf to his side and instantly the upgraded wolf awakened from his slumber and went to his master. He pet the animal's head, and then looked at Wally again and pointed at his chest. "Your mission is here, just being with Artemis. We're depending on you." With a grin, Conner left the room and sauntered after M'gann.

Wally scratched his head, then prepared to enter his second biggest challenge, right after no tripping. When he turned to look back at Artemis, her steely gray eyes he loved so much were already on him. Cautious, but curious to see what he was like.

Wally walked in and closed the door behind him, then approached her. He cleared his throat and looked at her. "Let me reintroduce myself. My name is Wally West." he grinned, and offered his hand to shake.

Artemis looked at his hand, and then lifted her eyes to look at him. "Your name is Wally?"

Wally drew back his hand and scratched the side of his cheek, embarrassed. "Well, uh–"

"These flowers..." she suddenly said, as she looked at them. "How... how did you know I liked tiger lilies?"

"You told me–I mean, I saw them... and thought they looked beautiful. Just like you, beautiful." He said, a smile curling on his lips as he said his favorite nickname for her. She may think it sounds really cheesy, and may not know what that nickname means for him, but right now, being able to say that to her was what made Wally content. Artemis raised a brow at him, then with surprise she looked down, eyebrows furrowed, and tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. "Thanks..." she said.

Wally felt the need to say something more. To say anything, just to make her look at him again. But the next thing he says, always ends up sounding better in his head.

"Would it be okay... if I stayed here with you? You know, to keep you company?" As soon as he said it, he closed his eyes, expecting her to say no. To his surprise, though, it was the opposite.

"...Sure. Company... would be nice."

Wally opened his eyes again to see Artemis combing her fingers through her hair. Wally knew it was a habit of hers whenever she felt uncomfortable or flustered. However, there was actually one more reason why she would do that: she was in love.

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**For those of you who were wondering about Wally and Artemis's dog's name, here's the link to the story of Brucely's name :)  
****www . angel city pits . o.r.g. / blog / my-cartoon-dog (without the spaces, and ****without the dots** for o.r.g.)

**Soooo... I don't know what to say about this chapter. Wasn't quite satisfied with it, so I might edit it later on. And I am soooo sorry for the wait guys D: It's just the last few weeks before winter break is so busy -.- especially with exams rolling around. Which meaannns updates might take a little while longer :( School isn't all to blame though, ****I also had a huge writer's block while writing this chapter OTL **

******I also didn't know what sort of flowers Artemis would like, so I chose tiger lilies. I thought it was fitting lol.  
**

**Welp, I hope you guys liked this chapter? Hopefully?  
**

**EDIT: Just realized after writing a few chapters that animals aren't allowed in the hospital. Whoopsie xD Haha, we'll just say Conner sneaked Wolf in... somehow.  
**


	4. Chapter 4

**January. JANUARY. JANUARY GUYS! Gah! DC NATION COMES BACK ON JAN. 5TH! How 'bout those promos huh? So many feels. The way Razer screamed Aya's name D; Conner and Dick. TULA! Say whaaaat. Sportsmaster! Cheshire! Oh no ._. **

**Well guys, I'm terribly sorry for the wait. ****After exams finished, more relatives came over for the holidays so I didn't have any time to write. Plus I had writer's block again OTL** So here's a late Christmas gift! :D Hope you likey?  


**Enjoy~  
**

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Wally arrived in the afternoon with a bouquet of tiger lilies. "Good afternoon, Artemis!" He grinned as he came into her hospital room.

Artemis looked from the window to her door to see the ginger and his silly grin. "Wally? You're here _again_?" she said, almost complaining. It's been a week and Wally has been visiting her every single day, much to her annoyance. However, she was a bit relieved he was here, though she wouldn't admit it out loud. Until recently, a lot has been on her mind. She's noticed something strange was happening to her. She'd been having strange feelings in her stomach, itching sensations in her skin, and her chest hurting. She traced it back to that time he asked to stay with her. It started out subtly, but as the days passed by and his visits became frequent, it began to bother her. She blamed the medicine and the bandages for her stomach and itches, but there wasn't anything to put blame on for the pain in her chest. When Wally walked in, all of it seemed to disappear, as if just seeing him was the cure.

"Of course I'm here again… Figured you'd want some company." Wally smiled. He brought a small glass vase from behind him. "I brought something to put the flowers in, too. Where should I put it?"

"Over here." Artemis said, motioning toward the small table next to her bed. As Wally walked over to the small table, and placed the flowers in the vase, Artemis watched him. She felt strange. When she looked at him, she felt like she knew him.

_Well of course I know him _now_… he's been visiting the whole week… But, it feels like there's a lot more to him…_

"Did ya miss me or something?" Wally suddenly looked at her with a grin on his face. Artemis's eyes widened in surprise, and turned her face away with a scowl. "I'm just kiddin', beautiful." Wally laughed, then pulled a chair over and sat beside her.

_Beautiful._ Artemis had slowly become accustomed to Wally calling her that, and she was strangely okay with it. The first few days she wasn't expecting another visit from him. His loud arrivals would surprise her and make her heart jump; making her instinctively on alert. It took a little while to get used to his presence, but as the week went on, his arrivals became expected and Artemis would unexpectedly look forward to his visits. She grew comfortable around him, something she thought was unnatural for her. There was something strange about him and she couldn't quite place her finger on it.

Dinah also visited her in the hospital during the week, though not as frequent as Wally, for recovery sessions. When Artemis first met Dinah, she had thought Dinah was lying, until she realized she didn't even know her own name. Dinah had broken the news to her subtly, but it still surprised Artemis so much that she didn't know how to respond to her situation. Dinah promised her that she'd help as much as she could. She had started off simple then, and brought civilian portraits of Artemis's family, and held them up in front of Artemis for her to recognize. Then Dinah had asked her simple questions to see what she could remember. After that, Dinah concluded that Artemis could only remember her life up until she met the Team. As the week went on, the recovery involved more questions and things became more complex than before. Recollection of who she is and what she did, and who her family is and what they did became clearer. Memories of her childhood were coming back, much to her distaste. However, when questions about the Team came up, Artemis couldn't remember anything and would get a dull pain in the back of her head. When Dinah introduced her to Conner and Megan as friends, Artemis caught glimpses of her memories being on the Team. She started to connect the dots and contemplated on the thought that maybe Conner and Megan were her teammates.

_That would explain why they came to visit…_

When her thoughts returned to Wally, she wondered if he was a teammate too… or maybe something more.

_Why else would he visit? _

Artemis's eyes slowly gravitated back to the ginger, only to be greeted by his gaze. "Something on your mind? You've suddenly grown shy around me." Wally grinned. "Now Artemis, don't tell me I've finally started to grow on you."

"Nothing that concerns you, West." Artemis retorted, and stared down at her hands in her lap. She felt really strange. The more he talked to her, the more he called her beautiful, the more they had small banter like this, it all made Artemis feel strange. It felt all too familiar. As if she'd known him for much longer than a week.

Wally looked at Artemis as she stared down at her hands. His smile slowly disappeared and he shifted his gaze. Things hadn't progressed at all the past few days. Black Canary's sessions helped to some extent, but it just wasn't enough for all of Artemis's memories to come back. All he could do was sit beside her and chat the whole day away until dusk, and eventually until he had to leave her. Wally was really trying, he really was. He was resolved to bring her back. But, while he would be talking to her, there would be times where he would catch Artemis staring out the window, furrowing her brows, as she thought hard about something. He would also catch her staring at him often, some times more intensely. He didn't mind when she looked at him like that, though, he was used to it; the stare she usually gave him, even after they started dating, though not as cold as it was before.

He did feel uncomfortable though when he didn't know what she was thinking; or rather, couldn't know what she was thinking. Five years of being in a solid relationship, built upon their prior relationship as teammates, Wally got to know and understand Artemis. He knew the little things and the big things about her. He knew what irritated her, what made her happy, angry, and sad. He knew her fears, her aspirations... everything only someone who's been with her through the years and the ups and downs, gets to know. After being with each other for so long, and being a part of each others' lives, Wally could tell what Artemis was thinking about, what she was going to do, or how she was feeling. As it usually is when one has been with someone through so many things together. Wally may not have always been on point, but he had an inkling about what she thought or how she felt. After a week of spending time with her in the hospital, Wally could say that he had reformed a friendship with Artemis; but no matter how much time he spent with her, a week could never compare to the five year relationship they had, where Artemis opened herself to him, as now she closed herself off. The Artemis that sits before him is the same Artemis he knows and loves. But, this was difficult for him because now, something that once was so natural for them, is gone.

Wally glanced at Artemis. Sitting in front of her now, he could tell she was unsettled. Wally was sure they were getting along just fine a few days ago, but he never really considered the possibility if she was sick of him; more likely, a possibility he decided not to think about and had been trying desperately to avoid that outcome. He had wanted to stay longer as he usually did, to get to spend as much time with her as he could before visiting hours were over. But it looks like visiting hours for him has just been cut short. "Well," he said, getting up, "You're probably tired of seeing my face, huh?" he laughed slightly. "I'll let you rest today. I came to just check up on you and bring you flowers… I'll be going now. Rest up, 'kay?"

Artemis looked up, surprised. _He's leaving so soon?_ _But–_

When Artemis looked up, for the first time she noticed the sadness in Wally's eyes. She was confused. He was smiling, but there was a different message in his eyes she couldn't quite read. She felt her chest tighten.

_Why?_

Artemis clenched the bed sheets in her hands. She didn't want him to leave. Why was he leaving? Was it because of the way she was acting toward him? Was it because of her? Artemis's grip tightened around the white cloth. She didn't want him to leave... at all. She felt irritated with herself, even more so when she saw the look in his eyes. Why did he make her feel this way? She didn't understand at all what was going on inside of her. She was about to find out as she watched him get up and turn to leave her. Artemis panicked and reached out, unconscious of what she was doing, and held onto the hem of his shirt. "Don't go."

Wally froze. He wasn't anticipating any objection at all, and it being unexpected came as a pleasant surprise for him. But in her words... in her voice, she sounded scared, desperate... and a little irritated? Wally turned around to see Artemis holding onto his shirt and looking at him with pleading eyes. He always did feel weak in the knees whenever he looked her in the eye. However, it wasn't his knees this time, but his heart. Just a moment before, he felt useless that he couldn't do anything for her, but now he realized what an impact he is to her, whether or not she realized it herself. Not all was lost. With her simple plea, Wally got a glimpse of how she felt. He then took Artemis's hand that was previously holding onto his shirt, knelt down beside her bed, and held her hand.

"I'm won't go anywhere unless you tell me to." Wally smiled gently.

Artemis sat still, eyes wide, as she stared into Wally's eyes. The strange feeling in her stomach, the itching sensations in her skin, and the pain in her chest all returned two times stronger. Artemis knew then, that what she was feeling was something much more than she could comprehend. Artemis put her hand up to her chest to feel her heartbeat. It was beating fast. She wasn't quite sure why, but she had an idea in mind. She knew she was forgetting something, and her heart was telling her.

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**Don't mind that last sentence at all if it didn't make any sense. I reread it over and over again in my head and said it aloud to see if it sounded alright. It sounded fine to me, but hey, anything sounds fine when you're writing late into the night. So I'm sorry if it sounds strange! D: **

**I also appreciate all of your reviews! It really, REALLY helps me with my writing. So if you weren't quite satisfied with this chapter, then feel free to write a review with your constructive critique please :) but if you liked it, and still want to review and say your thoughts, then go right ahead. I would love to hear them :D  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys! I'm sorry for this late update. I started writing this one a few days prior to the new year, and originally intended for this chapter to be uploaded right after the new year. I thought I could finish it by then. Lol nope. I got caught up with things irl and had to put writing aside for awhile, so I couldn't finish the chapter. But, here it is! :D I was antsy to just upload it. ****It is finally here. **I finally got this chapter out. OTL

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"Don't you have a girlfriend?" Artemis interrupted Wally as he talked about his day. She stopped him out of irritation when he started to prate on about how hungry he got during one of his lectures. But of all the questions she could have asked to stop him from going on about food, she chose the girlfriend question. Though, she had to admit she was a bit curious too; but, at the same time nervous for his answer. Artemis looked to him when silence was her answer. He looked surprised because all he did was stare at her. He then smiled, and looked down, as if he were too shy to say yes.

Artemis Crock was sure by now that she harbored feelings for Wally West. He was the cause, the problem, the source of everything she was feeling. Every time he came to visit her, she would suddenly feel self-conscious around him. Whenever he was within arm's reach, her skin itched to reach out and touch his arm, or to just hold his hand again. Her heart certainly wouldn't give her a rest either; it would ache whether she was thinking about him or not. She wasn't sure how this happened. She wasn't sure how these feelings happened. Sure he was funny, amiable, handsome, and masculine. He was a lot of things, and it was natural to form a crush on a guy like Wally in a few weeks. But, Artemis knew that somehow the feelings she was experiencing, were quite different from any ordinary crush. Understanding what it might be was the reason she'd been trying to fight back what she felt for the past few weeks. But whenever she tried to run away, she always found herself back where she started; falling for him harder than the last. She finally gave up trying to run and refused to acknowledge the existence of those feelings; feelings that seem to have already been there. However, they started to tug at her heartstrings, trying to tell her something again.

"Why would you like to know?" Wally asked, pulling Artemis out of her thoughts. She looked at him to see he was smiling at her. Artemis narrowed her eyes.

"Oh just wondering... 'cause you know, I figured you didn't have one since food seems to be the love of your life." She quipped. Wally arched a brow and laughed.

"Food I certainly do love, but it doesn't compare with the only girl and love of my life."  
Artemis stiffened as she felt her heart sink. Wally _does_ have a girlfriend. Artemis glanced away as she gripped the loose sheets of the hospital bed and bit her lower lip in... was that disappointment?

"Oh? So you _do_ have a girlfriend. Why do you keep visiting me then? I'm sure she wouldn't like what you're doing if she found out." Surely his girlfriend wouldn't like it either if she heard him calling someone else beautiful.

"I visit because I _want_ to be here..." Wally bit his lip. He couldn't tell her, not outright, but he could still give subtle hints. "...to keep you company." He added. "I'm sure my girlfriend wouldn't mind me doing that. I bet she'd want me to visit you." he continued to smile, as if he knew something she didn't. Artemis frowned.

"Wow, she must trust you... a lot..." Wally nodded. "Have... you two been going out for a while now?" Wally nodded again, his smile slowly growing across his face again. Artemis furrowed her brows. She never thought asking a simple question that was meant to tease him would turn out like this. She felt awkward now that they were discussing his relationship, and a bit upset.

_Who..._

"...Do you love her?" Artemis asked him, eyes never leaving the white sheets of her bed.

_Who?_

"Of course." She heard him say undoubtedly.

_Who is she?_

Artemis sneaked a glance at him and without realizing what she was about to say, it was already too late.

"Who is this girl you love?"

Wally's eyebrows raised, and he blinked a few times as he processed what she just asked him. When he focused on Artemis again, he laughed lightly to himself in amusement. Artemis was jealous of herself. Wally scratched his cheek and then made his way to rub his forehead. He wanted to tell her badly that the girlfriend they were talking about was _her_. He wanted to tell her that she was the girl he loved. But even though it seemed like an opportune time to tell her, it was not the right time. He may not be able to tell her now, but Wally figured he could still tell her how much she means to him and how much he loves her. He took a moment to think, and when he found the words he wanted to say, he took a breath and sighed lightly before he looked at Artemis.

"Well, when we first met, there was a huge misunderstanding. It rubbed us both the wrong way, and we started off on the wrong foot. It... it wasn't at all how I wanted our first meeting to be. You see, I was a pretty stubborn teenager. I didn't want to apologize for what I said to her, and we gave each other a pretty hard time, I remember that clearly." Wally gave a short laugh. "After that rough start, though, our friendship started to steadily grow, and I had developed feelings I didn't quite understand. It got even worse when I didn't want to admit to those feelings, and ended up pushing myself further into denial. I tried to push those feelings, and _her_, away; but, no matter how many times I tried, it'd never worked. I'd fallen for her. Back then, I had no idea she would be so important to me as she is now."

Now that Wally thought about it, his world was always fast and according to his pace. Nobody matched his pace, could never match his pace. There was nobody he would slow down for; but, that was before he met Artemis. Everything changed when he met her. Wally took a moment to look at Artemis. He smiled. There was a quote he read somewhere, and even though the author was unknown, Wally was inspired and took the message to heart. It said that in life you'll realize there is a purpose for everyone you meet. Some will test you, some will use you, and some will teach you. But most importantly, some will bring out the best in you. It said to keep people in your life who truly love you, motivate you, encourage you, enhance you, and make you happy. If you know people who do none of these things, let them go.

Artemis was all these things. She motivated him, encouraged him, enhanced him, and made him happy; she brought out the best in him. The fastest boy alive, but not so much a boy now, slowed down for no one, except for Artemis. He loved her, and there was no doubt.

Wally shyly looked down, smiling, and rubbed the back of his neck before continuing. "She is the only girl I'd ever slow down for. The only girl I would want to spend the rest of my life with."

Artemis sat still, eyes now on the white sheets in front of her. Emotions stirred within her; feelings she never knew were so strong. She didn't know what to make of it. She didn't know what to make of _him_.

"Well? Why aren't you with her?" Artemis asked him, suddenly wanting him and all these feels to go away.

Wally's smile slowly, and unexpectedly disappeared and his eyes looked longing. "I... I can't be with her..."

"What do you mean you ca–" Artemis stopped mid-sentence. _He _can't_ be with her?_ Artemis furrowed her brows. A moment after, she quickly realized what he meant and her stomach dropped as she instantly regretted asking him.

"...Is she de-"

"No." Wally quickly said. "She's not... She's just really far away..." He looked Artemis in the eye, hoping that some sort of memory would return to her. But, his hopes were in vain. He then smiled faintly. "I may not be able to reach her now, but I'll bring her back. One way or another."

"Oh." Artemis said, and then turned her eyes away from his. _Why is he looking at me like that?_ Artemis thought. She put her hand up to her chest, and her heart never ceased to amaze her how fast it could beat. She glanced his way again, and just as before, his gaze was on her.

"I love you."

Artemis's eyes widened. "...Y-You what?!" She exclaimed half surprised, half flustered as she almost fell out of her bed. Her face flushed red, and her mind raced as she processed what Wally had just said. All Artemis could hear in her ears was the loud thumping of her rapidly beating heart. Those three simple words had so much meaning, and for him to say that to her caught her off guard.

"I love you... is what I want to say to her when she comes back. And after I do, I'm going to kneel down on one knee, and propose to her. Sounds like a great welcoming, right?" Wally smiled.

Artemis blinked a few times and then forced out a laugh. "Oh... hahaha, right..." She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "That sounds great..."

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That night, as Artemis sat up in her bed, she stared out her window at the dark horizon dotted with twinkling stars. She rested her chin on her arms that were folded atop her knees as she listened to the late city noises. There were many sounds going on outside, and it was hard to focus on just one. But, inside her head, only one thing looped endlessly.

_"I love you."_

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**DC Nation's recent YJ and GLTAS episodes... ._. Gah! I don't know anymore. I started writing this before those episodes aired. And before seeing them, I didn't know what was going to go down. Especially in episode 13 "The Fix". But I got some ideas now on how Artemis lost her memories kekeke. Well, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! And Happy Belated New Year! :)  
**


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